IHRSA’s Guideto HealthClub Cleanlinessblog2.zogics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IHRSA_CleanlinessGuide.pdfWhere do you look when assessing the overall cleanliness of the health

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IHRSA’s

Guide toHealthClubCleanliness

Supplement to Club Business International

2 2008 IHRSA’s Guide to Health Club Cleanliness

IHRSA’s Guide to Health Club Cleanliness is published by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). IHRSA is a nonprofit trade organization, servingthe commercial club industry. At IHRSA, Melissa Rodriguez and Katie Rollauer conducted the online surveys and wrote the report. To order copies of this report or otherIHRSA publications, contact: International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, Seaport Center, 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210. Please direct purchasing inquiries toPhoebe Anderson at (800) 228-4772.

October 2008

Copyright 2008 International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, which is solely responsible for this report’s content. All rights reserved. No part of this report may bereprinted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, or otherwise—without the express written consent of IHRSA.

IHRSAWelcome Letter:“IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LEAN, YOU HAVE TIME TO CLEAN.” This cleverslogan from Red Lerrile, a club owner and operator in Lafayette, LA, rings trueand reinforces the message that maintaining cleanliness is a constant processand not something to be “swept under the rug.”

Keeping a facility clean is undoubtedly a never-ending challenge for a club. In2007, the typical IHRSA club indicated that they had more than 130,000 clubvisits, or about 350-plus visits per day. Imagine having 350-plus people touch-ing your desk or using your shower every day: dirt and grime are bound to ap-pear and might even build up if not cleaned properly.

It is imperative for a club not to become complacent with its cleaning andmaintenance routines and put an emphasis on awareness of keeping the clubclean all day and all year long. The research that follows indicates that clubcleanliness is not only expected by members, but can also be rewarding to theclub in terms of an increase in member retention, member usage and numberof non-dues services and programs that are purchased.

Joe MoorePresident & CEOInternational Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association

2008 IHRSA’s Guide to Health Club Cleanliness 3

Contents IHRSA Welcome Letter ............................................................................................2

About This Report ....................................................................................................3

Why Invest in Club Cleaning? ................................................................................4

Where’s the Dirt?......................................................................................................6

Retaining Members: A Top Priority for Club Management ............................7

The Effect of Cleanliness on Usage and Non-Dues Revenue ........................8

Creating a Clean Club Culture ................................................................................9

Appendix..................................................................................................................12

In June 2008, IHRSA launched a researchprogram to explore the ways in whichperceptions of health club cleanliness havebecome an important part in retainingmembers.

Specifically, we wanted to understandhow club cleanliness affects member usage,retention and in-center spending. Thisresearch project—which includes an onlinesurvey of health club members and healthclub staff, along with a series of interviewsamong club operators—finds that membersare indeed more likely to renew, recommendand increase the use of fee-based servicesand programs when they perceive the clubto be clean.

This report presents the findings ofour online surveys of 600 U.S. health clubmembers, 495 health club staff, and in-depthinterviews with leaders of health clubcompanies across the country. Of the 600U.S. health club members surveyed online,201 were members who had joined theirfirst club within the past six months; another190 were members who had recently quita club in the last six months and rejoinedanother club; and the final 209 consumers

were members of a health club for three ormore years. The health club staff samplingincluded 153 owners, 302 managers and46 non-management-level employees.

This report also presents the informationgathered during interviews with operatorsat the following companies:

� ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers,Charlottesville, VA – Karen Melcher,Member Services Director

� Aerofit Health & Fitness, Bryan,TX – Kathy Langlotz, General Manager& Co-Owner

� Cherry Hill Health & Racquet Club,Cherry Hill, NJ – Brian Kosa, GeneralManager

� Club Industry Consulting, HighlandVillage, TX – Stephen Tharrett, Principal

� Fayetteville Athletic Club, Fayetteville,AR – Bob Shoulders, Owner

� Midtown Tennis Club, Chicago,IL – Michael Mahoney, Vice President &General Manager

� Planet Fitness, Durham, NH – JohnCraig, Marketing Director

� World GymWantagh, Wantagh,NY – David Stemplar, General Manager

We would like to extend our gratitudeto these operators and consultants forassisting us in this research. Their insightinto the topic of health club cleanliness isextremely valuable, and their dedicationto the industry is outstanding.

A note about data presentation:

Unless otherwise noted, the degree scalesinclude the top two options and bottomtwo options. For example, when the word“clean” is used in reference to degreeof cleanliness, clean is defined as thetotal frequency of those who reported“extremely clean” plus those who reported“somewhat clean.”

IHRSA Research and GOJO Industriesdeveloped the hypotheses for this researchjointly. GOJO Industries funded the researchand publication for our findings, and wewould like to acknowledge Mike Hanes,Louise Minor and Jillian Hughes for theircontributions and support. At IHRSA, MelissaRodriguez and Katie Rollauer managed theproject and wrote this report.

About this Report:

Table 1. ROI: There is a direct relationship betweenclub performance and the amount the club spends on housekeeping.

HOUSEKEEPING SPENDING VS. PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH

Source: IHRSA’s 2007 Profiles of Success; n=76

UpperQuartile

LowerQuartile

Housekeeping as % of Total Revenue 6.1% 0.3%

Revenue Growth as % of Total Revenue 5.2% 3.9%

Member Retention as % of Total Revenue 72.0% 65.4%

Revenue per Member $1,254.00 $533.39

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW: A club’scleanliness is a vital part of its operational,social and financial success. For our members,the perception of facility hygiene is a reality.Dollar for dollar, cleanliness might be themost powerful tool to maximize membersatisfaction, member retention and averagerevenue per member in the club. As thefollowing research will show, beyond eventhe community health and liability benefitsof removing germs and bacteria, clubcleanliness can lead to increased clubrevenues for those facilities that place ahigh priority on getting it right.

According to IHRSA’s 2007 Profilesof Success, clubs reported spending anaverage of 2.9% of total revenues onhousekeeping (a range of 1.4% to 4.1%). Afurther look at club operating data indicatesthat the more a club spends on housekeep-ing, the better their performance in othercategories, such as revenue growth andmember retention (see Table 1).

It is generally accepted that cleanlinesshas always been among the leadingreasons people select a club. When askedabout the degree to which a clean clubaffects a prospect’s decision to join ora member to renew, Brian Kosa, generalmanager at the Cherry Hill Health & RacquetClub, an award-winning multipurpose facilityin southern New Jersey, indicated that“on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the

highest, the impact that a clean club hason a member’s decision to join is a 10.”Additionally, John Craig, marketing directorat Planet Fitness Franchising, a fitness-onlyclub company headquartered in NewHampshire, stresses that “the cleanlinessof our club is generally the first or secondcomment a prospect will mention duringa facility tour.”

Our recent research project goes beyondidentifying the leading reasons people joina club in order to support the connectionthat cleanliness has with greater utilizationof club services and the financial benefitsthat follow. If we accept that a cleanclub is part of doing business, then anextremely clean club can lead to productdifferentiation and recognition from ourtarget consumers.

Consumers believe that with thepotential spread of illness, it is a club’sresponsibility to rise to the challenge ofclub cleanliness. Today’s club patron isacutely concerned about germs in gyms,and findings support this with 82% of re-spondents believing that dirty clubs aremore likely to have germs(see Figure 1).Fully 56% of members expect clubs to begerm-free (see Figure 2). Karen Melcher,member services director at ACAC Fitness &Wellness Centers in Charlottesville, VA, a mul-tipurpose, multiclub company dedicated tochanging lives through exercise, confirms


Figure 1. Members believe that dirtyhealth clubs are more likely to have germs.

I believe dirty health clubs or gyms aremore likely to have germs.

n=600

Figure 2. Exceed expectations: Membersexpect the health club to be germ-free.

I expect my health club or gym to begerm-free.

n=600

Figure 3. Members indicate concern aboutthe spread of germs at health club.

How concerned are you about the spreadof germs at the health club or gym youcurrently use?

n=600

disagree;21%

agree;56%

neither agreenor disagree;23%

agree;82%

disagree;5%

neither agreeor disagree;13%

unconcerned;34% concerned;

40%

neitherconcerned norunconcerned;26%

Why Invest in Club Cleaning?

that when “people come in they want tosee a clean locker room and that the equip-ment they will be working out on is clean.”And David Stemplar, general manager atthe World Gym Wantagh, a 25-year-oldmultipurpose facility serving the southshore of Long Island, comments: “I thinkyou can have older equipment and oldertelevisions, but if the club isn’t clean, [themembers and prospects] are not going tobe interested [in the club].”

The Perception of Club Cleanlinessand Member SatisfactionEvery contact with members—from theirfront desk check-in, to the ease in whichthey can access available equipment,to participating in their favorite groupexercise class—is an opportunity to makethe experience a positive one. Commonsense indicates that the club operator’sobjective should be to keep the club clean.

Kathy Langlotz, general manager & co-ownerof Aerofit Health & Fitness, a multipurposeclub company with two locations in Bryan,TX, agrees: “Our philosophy is that noteverybody knows what the best treadmillis, but they know if it’s clean.” Facilityhygiene becomes mission-critical when wesee the connection between the memberperception of cleanliness and overallmember satisfaction. An overwhelmingmajority (84%) of members perceive theirclub to be clean (see Figure 4). Of thesemembers who perceive their club as ex-tremely clean, 83% are satisfied with theircurrent health club (see Figure 5), whileonly 43% of the members who perceivetheir club as unclean are satisfied withtheir club (Figure 6).

Figure 4. Good news: The majority of mem-bers perceive their club as clean.

What degree of cleanliness would youassign to the health club or gym youcurrently use?

n=600

Figure 5. When members perceive the clubas clean, they are more likely to be satisfiedwith their club than members who perceivethe club as unclean (Figure 6).

How satisfied are you with the health clubor gym you use?

n=299

Figure 6. Member satisfaction with currenthealth club when club is perceived as un-clean.

n=61

unclean;10%

clean;84%

neither uncleanor clean; 6%

dissatisfied;10%

neither dissatisfiednor satisfied; 7%

satisfied;83%

satisfied;43%

dissatisfied;39%

neitherdissatisfiednor satisfied;18%



Where’s the Dirt?THE GOOD NEWS is that two out of threemembers surveyed reported they hadnever been to a club they perceived as un-clean, and 84% view their current club asclean (see Figure 4). Members’ perceptionsof cleanliness create an opportunity forclubs to improve and promote cleanlinessstandards and protocols. Staff can regu-larly inspect club restrooms, equipmentand beyond throughout the day withchecklists, looking for specific soils in thehigh-traffic areas that members assess forcleanliness. Many of the operators explainedthat keeping a club clean is part of theirdaily business routine. For example, Craig

says, “Staff are instructed to check allareas for cleanliness when making theirrounds.” While Langlotz comments, “Everystaff person has some responsibility relatedto cleaning.” Both operators agree thatregularly scheduled evaluations and surpriseaudits can help reinforce excellent health clubhygiene. A facility’s efforts in promotingcleanliness throughout the club can improveits members’ perceptions of cleanliness,making profit-center areas cleaner andsafer and more attractive to members con-sidering the purchase of additional services.

Health club members look to numerousareas in assessing a club’s cleanliness (seeTable 2). Importantly, some of these locationscontain profit centers that generate impor-tant additional revenue streams beyond

Figure 7. Perceived club cleanliness affectsmember retention.

How likely are you to renew your currenthealth club or gymmembership?

n=600

Figure 8. A club perceived to be extremelyclean increases a member’s likeliness torenew.


n=299

Figure 9. A club perceived to be uncleandecreases a member’s likeliness to renew.


n=61

likely torenew;90%

unlikelyto renew;7%

neither likelynor unlikelyto renew;3%

unlikely torenew;12%

likely torenew;80%

neither likely norunlikely to renew; 8%

likely torenew;52%

unlikely torenew;30%

neither unlikelyor likely torenew;18%

Table 2. Health club members look to numerous areas in assessing a club’s cleanliness.

Where do you look when assessing cleanliness of the health club or gym you currently use?

Which areas of the health club or gym you currently use do you feel is the cleanest and the dirtiest?

What types of dirt do you encounter in the dirtiest location?

HEALTH CLUB MEMBERS ASSESS AND CLASSIFY CLUB AREAS:

+Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to more than 100%.++Single mention only; responses should add to 100%, however only 9 out of 13 selections are presented here.When comparing data from multiple mentions to single-mention questions, do not compare percentages, butrather the ranking of the response.

WhereMem-bers Assesscleanliness+

CleanestArea++

DirtiestArea++

Types of DirtReported in Area

Restrooms 75% 10% 15% water on floor,trash, fingerprints

Workout equip-ment surfaces 71% 13% 10% sweat, finger-

prints, stickiness

Locker rooms 69% 11% 10% water on floor,trash, dust

Floors 68% 5% 14% dust, water onfloor, sweat

Equipmentareas 65% 17% 6% sweat, dust

Showers 59% 5% 8% water on floor,mold, stickiness

Front lobby 44% 20% 6% dust, trash, finger-prints

Exercise class-rooms 39% 8% 3% dust, sweat, finger-

prints

Pool area 31% 5% 3% water on floor,trash, mold

2008 IHRSA's Guide to Health Club Cleanliness 7

alarming statistic, a club has the power to“tip the scale” in the club’s favor. Concernwith membership fees was the most oftenmentioned reason for considering leaving(see Table 3). Clubs can rise to meet thisconcern by focusing on features that addvalue to membership, such as hiring qualifiedstaff, keeping a clean environment, andproviding a wide selection of equipmentand group exercise classes.

The Bottom Line:Unclean Club=Lost RevenueWhile clean clubs win with members, theinverse is also true: The perception of anunclean club can lead to lost revenue. For10% of members who have recently quit agym, the unclean environment of the clubcontributed to their decision to terminatetheir membership. This segment representsabout 3% of a club’s overall membership,and when considering the average IHRSA clubsize of 2,300members and $600 in annualmembership fees, this can be a loss of morethan $41,000 per year (see Table 4).

Table 3. An unclean environmentis one of the common reasons whymembers consider quitting.

Why did you consider quitting the healthclub or gym you currently use?

Membership fees too expensive..........29%Location ..................................................13%

Didn’t like staff............................12%Unclean environment ................10%Poor equipment selection ..........10%Classes ..........................................10%

Multiple mentions allowed; may add to more than100%. Only responses with 10% or more men-tions included.

Table 4. When we look into how much money a club might lose if they don’t keep aclean club, we estimated the following:

> Average number of members in clubs = 2,300

> Average annual membership fee = $600

>% of members where unclean environment contributed to decision to leave:3% or 69 members

> Estimated dollars lost = $41,400 per year (69 members x $600)

Table 5. Health club members who perceive their club as extremely clean are morelikely to recommend their club to friends and family.

How likely would you be to recommend the health club or gym you use to a friend or family member?

HEALTH CLUB NET PROMOTER SCORE ©

All(n=600)

MembersPerceive Clubas ExtremelyClean (n=299)

MembersPerceive Club asUnclean (n=61)

Members Likely toRecommend 73% 83% 54%

- Members Unlikelyto Recommend 10% 6% 28%

= Net PromoterScore 63% 77% 26%

Pass the Word: Members RecommendAn increasingly popular measurement of thepositive advocacy of the club is the NetPromoter Score© (NPS). Just as managersnow use financial reports to make sure theyand their teammembers are meeting profitgoals, they can use this newmetric to makesure they are meeting customer-relationshipgoals. The NPS is the difference betweenthe percentage of people interviewed whoare likely to recommend (promoters) andthe percentage who are unlikely to recom-mend (detractors). Most companies in otherindustries expect a score of between 5% and10%, while those companies with fast-grow-ing brands (such as YouTube or Apple) havea score between 50% and 80%.

It turns out that health club consumersare excellent advocates of a club. A quickcalculation based on responses from all theconsumers in this study returns a NPS of63% (see Table 5). While consumers whoperceive their club to be extremely cleanhave an NPS of 77%, those that perceivetheir club as unclean compared at an NPSof 26% (see Table 5).

monthly membership fees. Attention needsto be paid beyond restrooms, equipmentareas and surfaces, club floors, classrooms,showers and locker rooms. Operators mustalso maintain cleanliness in profit-centerareas where clubs provide personal training,group exercise, swimming instruction andother additional services. Although memberslook to a variety of areas, no single areasurveyed was seen as exceptionally cleanby the members examined.

RetainingMembers: A TopPriority for ClubManagementThe Impact of Cleanliness:Member RetentionMember attrition is an all too familiar issueto club management, however nine outof 10 consumers who perceive their club asextremely clean are likely to renew theirmembership (see Figure 8), compared to onlyfive out of 10 consumers who perceive theirclub as unclean (see Figure 9). Maintaining anexceptionally clean club can help a club retainfour out of 10 additional members a year.

Tip the Scale in Your Favor:Prevent AttritionOne out of five members has consideredleaving their current club. Despite this

{Value Boosters

Figure 10. Cleanliness affects club usage.

To what degree does the cleanliness of thehealth club or gym you currently use affectyour use of the club?

n=600

Figure 11. Members who perceive the clubas extremely clean purchase additional fee-based services per month.

On average, howmany times per monthdo you purchase the services available atthe health club or gym you currently usefor an additional fee?

n=299

8 or moretimes permonth;26%

once amonth;54%2-7 times

per month;20%

notaffected;52%

affected;48%

Consumers indicated that their usage isaffected by the cleanliness of a health cluband half of the resulting behaviors wererelated to avoidance tactics, such as avoidingspecific areas, services or amenities, orchanging clubs (see Tables 6 and 7).


Growing the Business: IncreasingNon-Dues RevenuesMore than four in 10 members indicatedthat they spend money on additionalservices (e.g., juice bar, pro shop, personaltraining, etc.) at the club that are notincluded in membership dues. Memberswho rate the club extremely clean purchase7.23 additional fee-based services permonth compared to only 4.26 additionalfee-based services per month purchasedby members who perceive their club asextremely unclean through somewhatclean (see Figure 11).

Table 6. Unclean club leads to behavior change.

UNCLEAN CLUB LEADS TO COMMON AVOIDANCE BEHAVIORS

Members’ UsageAffected by ClubCleanliness

(n=286)

Avoid restrooms, showers, locker rooms, saunas 14%

Avoid dirty equipment/areas 13%

Feel at risk for illness 9%

Don’t go to dirty clubs/go to another club 9%

Don’t want to work out or go as often 8%

Avoid pool 1%

Avoid childcare 1%

Table 7. When the club is unclean, members adapt compensating behaviors, such as:

>Washing hands more often or using a hand sanitizer> Cleaning equipment before use> Wearing or using something as a barrier (shoes, sandals, towel, mat, etc.)

The Effect of Cleanliness onUsage and Non-Dues RevenueEffects of Cleanliness onUsageBehaviorMembers of health clubs who perceivetheir club to be extremely clean are20% more likely to use the club two ormore times per week than members whoperceived their club as unclean.

Managing CleanlinessIt is important that the philosophy ofcleanliness pervades the business, whichis a standard that club operators can up-hold through proper employee manage-ment. It’s not essential to hire a special“hit squad” to eliminate slime, grime, moldand mildew, says Stephen Tharrett, a prin-cipal at Club Industry Consulting in High-land Village, TX, and co-editor of ACSM’sHealth/Fitness Facility Standards andGuidelines. “Great clubs have a mission, avision and a value system,” he adds. “Ifcleaning is a part of that value system, tiedin to your mission and vision, you know yourclub is going to be clean.” All employeestake part in the upkeep and maintenanceof the club; even managers will pick up atowel to wipe up a spot. “It’s everybody’sresponsibility,” reports Tharrett.

Tharrett recommends that clubs keep achecklist of cleaning chores andmaintenancethat must be done daily (See Appendix#1). A supervisor should follow up to makesure that each task has been completed.To keep the process honest, anotherdepartment head or, in the case of chains,the club maintenance director, shouldconduct an independent surprise auditonce a month and compare the results tothe daily checklists.

It is apparent that keeping a club cleanis not a simple task. Success requiresplanning, execution and constant attentionto detail. Owners, managers and staffof health clubs were asked to share theirperceptions of their club’s cleanliness. Thefollowing are the key findings.

Areas where club operators and mem-bers believe their club is cleanest includethe front lobby and equipment sections ofthe club. Operators must be listening totheir members, as this exchange is animportant part of the evaluation processfor members’ sense of cleanliness in a club.Of interest is the difference between areasof evaluation and average “clean score.”The front lobby, as an example, is amongthe most judged areas of the club, but only20% of members consider it to be the

Creating a CleanClub Culture

Table 8. Heavy club users of additional services assess the environment in 25% moreplaces. Showers are the number-one place members look to assess cleanliness.

Where do you look when assessing the overall cleanliness of the health club or gym you cur-rently use?

Which of the following services do you participate in for an additional fee at the health club orgym you currently use?

Which areas of the health club or gym you currently use do you feel is the cleanest and the dirtiest?

FREQUENT CLUB USERS OF ADDITIONAL SERVICES ASSESS CLEANLINESS

Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to more than 100%; only responses with significant difference reported.

Area AssessedNo AdditionalServices(n=336)

3+ Services(n=54)

3+ Services:Rate Cleanest(n=54)

Showers 57% 80% 4%

Pool area 25% 50% 9%

Childcare area 10% 33% 9%

Food-service area 8% 31% 7%


The Cleanliness Assessment Test:Know Where “Core” Members LookMembers purchasing additional services maybe exposed to more areas of the club thanmembers who do not purchase additionalservices (see Table 8). With knowledge of the10% risk operators incur in losing membersdue to an unclean club (see Table 3), main-taining cleanliness is of utmost importanceto operators in retaining members who pur-

chase additional services. These terminatedmembers would not only result in a lossof membership revenue, but also incomeassociated with the additional services pur-chased by such members. Keeping showers,pools, childcare and food-service areas alongwith other major profit centers impeccablyclean is an opportunity and a challenge forclub management and staff in efforts tomaintain a healthy bottom line.

cleanest area of the club (see Table 9). Themajority of members also look to restroomsin order to assess cleanliness, but only10% of members and 12% of operatorsview restrooms as one of the cleanestareas. Aligning these areas of review withhigh clean scores is one opportunity toimprove member perception.

Special Attention Required: ClubAreas and Times of DayOperators and club members perceivecommon areas of the club to be dirty. Thetop five areas operators consider dirty areshowers, floors, locker rooms, restroomsand equipment (see Table 10). Operatorscite the leading reasons for areas beingdirty in a club are due to high-traffic andusage of these areas. Operators we inter-viewed reported the previously mentionedareas, but also highlighted a few more.Due to high traffic and attention to a cleanenvironment, Melcher comments, “We shutdown the kid-zone section two times a dayfor a total of one and a half hours in orderto clean it thoroughly.” Additionally, Kosa

notes that they not only keep a close eyeon the cleanliness of the locker rooms, lobbyand fitness equipment, but “the outside ofthe club is important, too, because whenmembers pull up in the parking lot, that isreally the first place they see.” Kosa explains,“We have someone who walks the parkinglot first thing every morning to make sureit’s clean and presentable.” Michael Mahoney,vice president and general manager of theMidtown Tennis Club, in Chicago, IL, a ten-nis facility, also makes sure there is a highlevel of cleaning attention to all club areas,but due to the nature of his business, says,“Our tennis courts have to be immaculate.”

Owners and managers believe that theirclub is dirtiest or the least clean duringevening peak hours and afterward. Nearlyseven out of 10 (69%) operators believetheir club is dirtiest between 5 and 10 p.m.(see Figure 12).

Talking Trash: Communicating ClubCleanliness to Members and StaffAlthough it is important to understandhow operators and members differ and

compare on perceived cleanliness of theclub, it is imperative for operators to com-municate cleanliness standards correctlyand effectively to consumers as well asstaff. In efforts to convey and promotecleanliness, more than eight out of 10operators say there is a protocol in placefor cleanliness complaints at their clubs.Langlotz details her club’s procedure:“First, we thank the member for voicingthe complaint, because if it is legitimate,other members are seeing it, too. We thentry to understand the details of what thecomplaint is. For example, if the member ison the premises, we will ask them to takeus to the dirty area, or if the member is onthe phone, we’ll ask for details so we canimmediately address it.” Communicationthrough a chain of command was cited byPlanet Fitness as the best method. ExplainsCraig: “If a complaint is made in person,the club manager will address it. Emailedcomplaints would be received by uppermanagement, who would then be in touchwith the club manager.” This method workswell for Planet Fitness, especially since the

Figure 12. Untimely dirt: period of time clubis the dirtiest.

once amonth;54%

12

6

39

8

7

4

5

10 2

11 1


Table 10.Top 5 Dirty Club Areas:

> Showers> Floors> Locker Rooms> Restrooms> Fitness Equipment

Table 9. A club is only as clean as its members perceive it to be.

Where do you look when assessing the overall cleanliness of the health club or gym youcurrently use?

Which area of the club or gym you currently use do you feel is the cleanest and the dirtiest?

Which area of the health club or gym do you feel is the cleanest and the dirtiest?

+Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to more than 100%; top seven responses shown.++Single mention only (shaded gray area); responses should add up to 100%, however only seven out of 13selections are presented here.When comparing data from multiple mentions to single-mention questions, do not compare percentages, butrather the ranking of the response.

WhereMembersLook To AssessCleanliness+

MembersPerceiveCleanest Area++

OperatorsPerceiveCleanest Area++

Restrooms 75% 10% 11%

Workout equip-ment surfaces 71% 13% 9%

Locker rooms 69% 11% 13%

Floors 68% 5% 3%

Equipmentareas 65% 17% 13%

Showers 59% 5% 4%

Front lobby 44% 20% 23%


Table 11. Most commonly cited clubcleanliness procedures.

What steps do you take when receiving acomplaint from members about the cleanli-ness of the health club?

+Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to morethan 100%.

Operators+

Clean area 91%

Inform member 66%

Tell manager 64%

Documentcomplaint 57%

Implementing a cleanliness policy andprocedure and developing a team approachto club hygiene were popular solutionsamong operators. Operators also consideredhiring an employee or contractor to beresponsible for maintaining a clean club.Bob Shoulders, owner, Fayetteville AthleticClub in Fayetteville, AR, has a cleaningstaff available at all times, as does Melcher,who has a whole department dedicatedto housekeeping managed by a full-timehousekeeping director. However, bothoperators stress that all club staff mustwork as a team and are expected to help out.Melcher explains, “I don’t work in the café,but if I see that the trash is full, I will emptyit. We expect everyone, regardless of jobdescription, to pitch in.” Although thesesuggestions can be implemented with rela-tive ease, no single approach will accomplishclub cleanliness, and there are several otherconsiderations operators must bear in mindas they aspire to promote and maintain animpeccable club (see Appendix #2):

Know and communicate the reasons for club

cleanliness. Keeping a club clean starts withall owners and staff team members under-standing the importance of cleanliness.Communicate and revisit cleaning protocols.

One-time training at point of hire may notbe enough to emphasize club cleanliness.Regular training or refreshers will drive

home the importance of a clean club andensure that staff members are current oncleaning procedures.

Conduct frequent inspections. Inspectionsare especially important before and afterpeak times, as staff members can ensurethe club is clean before the “workoutrush” and clean up right after the club’sbusiest times. Consistently checking forcleanliness throughout the day will alsohelp maintain cleanliness during overallhours of operation.

Encourage personal accountability among

staff. Sound staff hygiene practices are justas important as consistent club cleanlinessprotocols. Staff members can serve asa good example for members. As safetyprecautions and personal cleanliness initia-tives, encourage frequent hand washingand use of instant hand sanitizer.

Encourage members to be advocates for a

clean club. Use signs and newsletters totell members about your commitment toa clean club, and invite them to voice anyconcerns about cleanliness so the issuecan be addressed. Reduce the spread ofgerms by providing instant hand sanitizerat strategic locations throughout yourclub. Provide the products necessaryfor members to wipe down equipmentafter use and create attitudinal norms byencouraging this behavior.

Table 12. Operators communicate cleanliness standards by providing cleaning prod-ucts to inform members and staff about cleaning.

How does the gym or health club you work for inform members and staff about cleaning?

TYPES OF CLEANING INITIATIVES USED FOR MEMBER AWARENESS

+Multiple mentions allowed; may add up to more than 100%.

Operators+

Spray bottles and paper towels 7766%%

Signs around workout areas 6655%%

Disposable wipes near workout areas 6600%%

Cleaning log detailing by who & when area was cleaned 5511%%

Member newsletter announcements 3344%%

company ties monthly bonuses for managersto club cleanliness. Protocols may consist ofseveral action points, but the most commonone identified in this study is simply toclean up the area cited (see Table 11).

In addition to implementing a cleaningprotocol for staff, operators also communi-cate cleanliness standards to membersthrough five common means (see Table 12).Many use the provision of cleaning productsto inform members and staff about cleaning.For example, Melcher stresses, “We focuson providing products throughout the club.There are hand sanitization stations formembers everywhere and we have disin-fectant wipes all over the club for membersto use when wiping down machines.”

Club cleanliness is such an integral part of Cherry Hill Health and Racquet Club’s operating culture that it is part of their Employee Participation Program. Cherry Hill’sgeneral manager, Kosa, explains that the newstaff orientation involves basic instructionssuch as “learning how to use the photocopier,introducing yourself to the manager, pickingup pieces of trash inside and outside theclub, etc. Actively keeping a club clean is animportant part of our club culture.”

Suggestions for ImprovementWhen asked what can be done to improvehealth club cleanliness, managers and owners had a few common suggestions.


*Housekeeping and maintenance responsibilities that fitness floor staff, desk staff and supervisors should do.

DDaaiillyy TTaasskkss

1. Dry-mop floor/vacuum2. Clean mirrors3. Clean walls*4. Pick up loose articles

WWeeeekkllyy TTaasskkss

1. Clean light fixtures2. Clean vents*3. Clean stereo4. Wet-mop floor/steam-clean carpet5. Scrub exercise mats6. Scrub exercise balls and other

equipment

OOtthheerr TTaasskkss

1. Polish and buff floor every 3 to 6months; replace carpet every 3 to 5years or as needed

The following are examples of how clubs might choose to keep their facilities clean. These are not official guidelines, merely suggestions to keep your club thinking about how best to stay clean. Not all areas may apply to all clubs.

*1. Vacuum carpets (2x)*3. Pick up loose articles4. Clean vanity counters*5. Empty waste containers as needed*6. Empty towel and uniform bins as

needed and take to laundry*7. Arrange grooming counters neatly

throughout the day8. Clean benches9. Clean mirrors10. Clean dressing rooms*11. Refill amenity containers12. Wash out waste and laundry

containers

1. Clean light fixtures and vents2. Clean tops of lockers3. Polish metal fixtures

1. Shampoo carpet every three months2. Dry clean curtains in dressing rooms

WET AREAS < LOCKER ROOMS > DRY AREAS

General Housecleaning/Maintenance Schedule

Appendix #1

*1. Clean sink counters as often asneeded

2. Scrub sinks3. Clean mirrors4. Scrub showers5. Scrub floors6. Refill amenity containers as needed 7. Scrub urinals8. Scrub toilets*9. Pick up loose articles*10. Empty waste containers as needed

1. Clean light fixtures and vents2. Clean dry deck3. Wash out waste containers

1. Repair grout in bathrooms and show-ers annually

EXERCISE ROOM

FITNESS FLOOR

FRONT DESK

*1. Vacuum flooring (2x)*2 Pick up loose articles3. Clean mirrors*4. Clean resistance machines*5. Clean free-weight benches and acces-

sories*6. Clean all seat and bench coverings*7. Clean housing/frames of all

cardiovascular equipment (bikes,treadmills, ellipticals, etc.)

8. Clean glass9. Empty waste containers

1. Clean vents and light fixtures*2. Silicone or teflon spray guide rods on

resistance machines*3. Treat vinyl seats with vinyl protector *4. Check and tighten all bolts, screws, etc.*5. Adjust racing bikes *6. Calibrate equipment 7. Wash out waste containers

1. Shampoo carpet or wash floor everysix months

*2. Calibrate cardiovascular equipmentmonthly

*3. Perform quarterly service of all car-diovascular equipment

*1. Vacuum (two times)*2. Clean countertops and shelves*3. Dust area4. Wash out waste containers*5. Empty waste containers

1. Clean light fixtures and vents2. Clean drawers and cabinets

1. Shampoo carpet every six months


Club Cleanliness: IHRSA’s Tips & Tactics To Help Your Members Remain HealthyKeeping your club clean and protecting your members against illness is a year-round endeavor. However, staying healthyduring cold and flu season is sometimes tougher when everyone around you is coughing and sniffling. Research from University of Arizona microbiologist, Dr. Charles Gerba, found a person infected with a cold or flu can leave a trail of viruseson every surface he or she touches at home, in the club, in the office and elsewhere. Dr. Gerba found that some cold andflu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours. Maintaining a clean and healthy facility is a benefit to members andemployees alike.

Revisit the club’s existing cleaning and maintenance plan with all key staff and contractors.* Make sure staff are trained and implementing current plan(s).

* Revisit the plan to determine what changes, if any, may be required.

* Make sure equipment and locker rooms receive interim inspections and cleanings immediately before andafter your prime-time traffic periods.

* Encourage staff to wash hands regularly with hot water and soap. Provide protective gloves for staff andemployees, especially cleaning staff.

* Revisit local health codes and regulations to confirm your facility is in compliance.

Keep disinfecting wipes and/or spray available in fitness center.* Make sure spray bottles filled with a disinfecting solution, towels and/or disposable disinfecting wipes areavailable to members upon request to wipe down surfaces and equipment.

* Post signage and reminders asking members to clean equipment after use.

* Assign staff to periodically inspect/clean equipment and surfaces in locker rooms throughout the day.

Make your club’s laundry cleaner (if you provide towel and/or laundry service).* Reduce the risk of spreading disease-causing bacteria and viruses by using bleach when washing club towels.

* Use the hottest water possible and hottest heat setting on dryers for all laundry.

* Avoid overfilling washers. Overloaded washers are less effective.

* Avoid allowing used towels to pile up for extended periods of time; research has shown that some types ofbacteria can survive and thrive in the laundry.

Educate your members.* Remind members that regular exercise improves one’s immune system.

* Encourage members to report cleanliness concerns to senior staff, and have a system in place for respondingpromptly to members.

* Encourage members to wash hands regularly with hot water and soap.

* Interview a local physician, and collect information from online resources such as www.cdc.gov, then sharesome common tips for protecting oneself in member newsletters or special mailings.

Appendix #2

14 2008 IHRSA's Guide to Health Club Cleanliness

Notes

IHRSA Meetings.Preparing you for Great Accomplishments!Plan to attend one or more upcoming IHRSA Meetings and you will be prepared for great accomplishments.Each IHRSA meeting is designed to address specific needs and provide you with the tools to excel in dis-crete areas of expertise. For 28 years, IHRSA Meetings have been synonymous with success. Register todayby visiting ihrsa.org/meetings. Meeting...accomplished!

8th ANNUAL IHRSAEUROPEAN CONGRESSOctober 23-26, 2008Lisbon, PortugalCorinthia LisboaHotel

7th ANNUAL IHRSAASIA-PACIFIC FORUMNovember 6-9, 2008Shanghai, ChinaInterContinental Hotel Shanghai

28th ANNUALINTERNATIONALCONVENTION &TRADE SHOWMarch 16-19, 2009San Francisco, California USAMoscone Center

7th ANNUAL IHRSALEGISLATIVE SUMMITMay, 2009Washington, DC USA

4th ANNUALIHRSA UNIVERSITYJune 1-5, 2009Barcelona, SpainIESE Business School

21st ANNUALIHRSA INSTITUTE FORPROFESSIONAL CLUBMANAGEMENTAugust, 2009Location TBD

10th ANNUAL IHRSA/FITNESS BRASILLATIN AMERICANCONFERENCE& TRADE SHOWOctober 29-31, 2009São Paulo, BrazilTransamérica Expo Center

LEARN MORE BY VISITING ihrsa.org/meetings, or calling 800-228-4772 (US andCanada), or +1 617-951-0055 (International).

International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association

To locate a GOJO distributor near you,

call 1-800-321-9647.

HYGIENE MATTERS.

Make an investment that shows clients you care about their health and well-being.

Clean clubs retain more members.1

1 IHRSA Study. “Why People Quit,” 1998.

Leverage PURELL and GOJO,

the brands your members know and

trust, with products and dispensing

specifically designed for the health

club environment.

Documents

IHRSA’s Guideto HealthClub Cleanlinessblog2.zogics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IHRSA_CleanlinessGuide.pdfWhere do you look when assessing the overall cleanliness of the health